Ground-gripping device for vehicle wheels



r G. J. OESTREIC f GROUND GRIPPING DEVICE FOR LE WHEELS. J APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2!..1921.

i Patented Jan. 922.

3 SSSSSSSSSSS I.

.G. J. OESTREICHER. eaouuo GRIPPING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2|, 1921- 1,404,312. I Patented Jan. 24,1922.

630: new

G. J. OESTRELCHER. GROUND GRIPPLNG DEVICE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

Patented Jan. 24, 1922.

3 SHLE I'S-SHEET 3.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 21- 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFncE.

GEORGE J. OESTREIOHEB, OF WEST PARK, OHIO, ASSIGN'OB OI ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH FLKGHBABT, 88., O1 CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GBOUND-GRIPPING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed 0mm 21, 1921: Serial No. 509,200.-

To whom it may concern:

Fig. 3 is a perspective of one of the end Be it known that I, Gnonon J. Onsrmsrlmks.

CHER, a citizen of the United States, residin at West Park, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ground-Gripping Devices for Vehicle Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My mventlon relates to improvements in ground gripping devices for vehicle wheels, and partic arl to a simple, inexpensive, easily attachab e anti-skid device adapted for use on motor vehicle wheels.

My invention comprises a saddle member adapted to be received over the felly of the wheel, embracing the same and seating against the m tal rim and provided wit transversely ex ndin tire chains extendin across the tread'o'f t e wheel, and secure at opposite ends to opposite sides of the saddle by releasable means, through the use of which the chains may be tightened in place across the tread.

The saddle member is preferably formed of an integral metal blank as shown and hereinafter described, having side flanges articularly rigid where they embrace the felly, but of such flexibility where the tread chains are secured thereto as to yield inwardly-toward each other when the chains are drawn tightly across the tread, so thatthe chains will be held snugly and securely across the tread against any rattle or play.

Easily releasable means are provided for tightening the chains in position by means of which the chains may be quickly released and replaced by new chains in case of breaka e.

The chains are provided at the ends with peculiarly shaped securing links which are engaged b the tightening means to secure the tread c ains to the saddle, and which are so shaped as to aid in tightening the chains in lace.

he above and other objects will more fully appear from the following descri tion, appended claims and accompanying rawin in which:

Fi 1 is a side elevation of a pneumatic trea vehicle wheel, showing my device in place thereon.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 22 of Flg. 1.

vformation of whic Fig. 4 is a perspective of a saddle member.

Fig. 5.is a perspective of a modified form ofFsaddle member. f h

ig. 6 is a rs tive o anot er modified form of sadd ni iber.

Flg. 7 is a perspective of one of the bolts, partly broken away. I

Fig. 8 is a cross section taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a cross section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 10 is an integral metal blank such as used to form the saddle member shown in pers ctive in Fig. 4, the various ste in the ormation of which are shown in Figs. 11 and 12. a

Fig. 13 is an integral metal blank such as used to form the saddle member shown in perspective 1n Fi 5, the next step in the is shown in Fi 14. v Fig. 15 1s an integral metal b ank such as used to form the saddle member shown in erspective in Fi 6, the succeeding steps m the formation 0 which are shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

It is obvious that within the scope of the invention, the devices may be constructed in the various forms shown in the drawings, either with one or two tread chains, or such number as might be desired. Such number of the devices mi ht beused on a wheel as seems desirable. n Fig": 1 of the drawings, four of the devices are shown as secured to the wheel arranged ninety de ees apart thereon. In this figure of the (figuring, the tread of the wheel is indicated as a, the metal rim as b, the folly asc, and the device in assembly as d." V 1 My device as illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawing, comprises a saddle portion,

whichhas preferably been formed from an steps in the o eration of shaping the blank e into-a sad 1e member suc as shown in perspective in Fig. 4, in which e indicates the transversely extending web portion, and the doubled over portions of the sides, which abut the sides of the folly, are indicated as e, and the inwardly extendin flexible crtions of the sides are indic'a as e. his

saddle portion is adapted to be received over the fellv, as shown in Fig. 2, opposlte sides of which seat upon the steel rim 6, and hold the Saddle in s aced relationship from the inside of the folly.

The resilient side portions e which extend inwardly of the web toward the axis of the wheel with the device in lace thereon, are perforated as at f, to provide a passageway for bolts g. One of the side members is shown as provided with squared perforations f, in order that when the nut h is' tightened on the bolt g, the bolt will be held securely against rotation, the bolt being squared as at 2 adjacent the head so as to be held secure y within the perforations f Transversely extending tire chains '5 are provided which extend across the tread of the wheel and are adapted to be releasably secured to opposite sides of the saddle through the use of curved eye links In, secured to opposite ends of the chains. The tightening bolts 9 extend through the eyes of the links it and in the tightening of the nuts on the bolts, the links rock sli htly on the sides of the saddle and the flexi le portions of the saddle side walls yield inwardly toward each other so that the chain is stretched taut across the tread of the tire.

Owing to the seating of the saddle sides upon the rim rather than upon the wood felly, the tightening of the chains does not bind across the inside of the felly so as to mar the same, and the inwardly extending portion of the side walls possessing flexibility permits such walls to yield inwardly towar each other to permit tightening of the chains across the tread.

It is obvious that the saddle member need not of .necessity be constructed of an integral metal blank, but the form oficonstruction shown is that which is thought to possess advantages and is simple and inexpensive to construct, and possesses great durability.

The saddle construction shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is similar except that it is intended for use with one cross tread chain, and is constructed from a metal blank m as shown in Fi 15, the forming operation being further i lustrated in Figs. 16 and 17.

Figs. '5 and 9 illustrate yet another modification, which is constructed from ametal blank n formed as shown in Fig. 13, the sides ofwhich are turned up as shown in Fig. 14. The sides are rounded as shown in the drawing to fit snugly within the ciroumference of the rim, and are erforated close under the web portion, whic web portion would be spaced from the. inner side of the felly as .previousl shown and described in referring to sa dle e.

This device in operation may be used as an antiskid device for vehicle wheels, for which purpose it is principally intended, or it might be used in case of soft roadways where it is desirable to secure a greater traction. It is of a particularly strong and sturdy construction and is thought to be pecuharl adapted for use on trucks.

What claim is:

1. In a ground gripping device for vehicle wheels, in combination with a saddle formed of an integral metal blank shaped so as to embrace the telly and seat against the rim of the wheel and havin each side bent back upon itself extending portion interiorl of the wheel, tightening bolts extending t rough said interiorly projecting ends of the bent back sides, tread eyond the web chains opposite ends of which are secured to I oppgsite ends of said tightening bolts so as to drawn snugly across the tread of the wheel.

2. In a ground gripping device for vehicle wheels, a felly embracing portion comprising a saddle formed of an integral metal blank shaped so as to embrace the felly of the wheel resting on the rim thereof and having each side bent back upon itself, transversely extending tread chains extending across the tread of the wheel secured at opposite ends to the bent back sides of the saddle, means for tightening said chains.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a saddle ortion formed from an integral metal blan shaped so as to fit over the felly of a wheel and rest on the rim thereof and having each side bent back upon itself, tire chains extendin transversely across the tread of the w eeland releasably secured at opposite ends to opposite sides of said saddle portion.

4. In a ground gripping device for vehicle wheels, in combination, a saddle portion shaped to. embracethe felly of the wheel opposite sides of which rest upon the rim so that the transversely extending web portion is spaced from the fell said saddle rovided with resilient side an s projectmg inwardly of the wheel beyon said transversely extending web, tire chains ada ted to extend across the tread of the w eel, means for releasably securing opposite ends of said chains to opposite resilient side flanges of the saddle and for adjustably drawing said flan es toward each other.

GEORG J. 'OESTREICHER. 

